Yes, journaling has therapeutic powers

I have journaled every day since 1993, and I’ve definitely experienced its therapeutic powers. It has also been very healing during my son’s manic episodes and after his suicide.

Mari McCarthy certainly validates my thoughts about the benefits of journaling all these years. Please welcome her to Choices while she’s on her WOW! Women on Writing virtual book tour and take a look at her new book, Heal Your Self with Journaling Power.

Mari has also shared her thoughts about the roles of our inner critic and inner coach as we travel through our lives. My inner critic has always been very loud in my head. It’s good to know we can learn to hush it up. Here’s Mari McCarthy.

Conversations with Your Inner Critic and Inner Coach

by Mari McCarthy

You have two voices competing for attention in your head: your inner critic and your inner coach.

Your inner critic brings up all of your insecurities and misgivings. They doubt your abilities, judge your actions and second-guess your ideas, leaving you feeling unsure of yourself and ready to give up.

Your inner coach, on the other hand, has limitless faith in you. They cheer on your efforts, nurture your confidence and support your big dreams, buoying your spirits and convincing you to keep going.

It’s up to you which voice takes the lead. Do you want to listen to the critic who tells you that you never do anything right and you’ll never make anything of yourself? Or do you want to listen to the coach, who believes you are incredible and are capable of everything you set your mind to?

It’s not a difficult choice. But it does take some practice to turn down your critic’s commentary and tune into your coach’s words. Make it second nature by repeating these three steps over and over:

If you have a hard time with this, imagine your coach is a real person in your life who is supportive and loving. Picture what they would say to you. Let’s practice with a few scenarios:

Scenario 1

Inner critic: You think you deserve that promotion? You? Get real! You don’t have the skills or the smarts for that job. Don’t embarrass yourself by trying.

Inner coach: You think you deserve that promotion because you do. You’ve been with the company for five years, and you’re the top salesperson on the team. You would be amazing as a manager – go for it!

Scenario 2

Inner critic: You look awful! Have you gained weight? Your jeans are tighter than they were last week.

Inner coach: You look beautiful! Those jeans fit just right and accent your curves perfectly.

Scenario 3

Inner critic: What a stupid mistake! You forgot to schedule that delivery for today, so now you’ll have to wait till Monday. You are so careless and irresponsible.

Inner coach: You’ve had a lot going on this week, and you forgot to write that down on your to-do list. It’s OK – you’re human! You can schedule it for Monday, and it will be fine.

Don’t worry if this doesn’t come naturally at first. With practice, you will hear your inner coach’s voice loud and clear – and your inner critic will fade into the background.

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Book Summary

Mari L. McCarthy’s international bestselling book, Journaling Power, started a movement. Now, Heal Your Self with Journaling Power is igniting a revolution!

You’ll discover the life-changing magic of journaling through moving personal stories told by just some of the thousands of people who have tapped into the proven therapeutic power of expressive writing. These are people just like you, and their challenges are the same ones you have.

Heal Your Self with Journaling Power reveals the inner strength and grace that comes with living your life in the present from the inside out. It will help you transform your life and…

● Manifest everything your desire

● Fill you with uplifting positive energy

● Put you on a path to better health and wellness

● Give you the inspiration and motivation to live your best life

● Show you how to use journaling to solve your most pressing problems

The only right way to journal is YOUR way. Just grab a pen and paper and do it!

Mari L. McCarthy is the Self-Transformation Guide and Founder/Chief Inspiration Officer of CreateWriteNow.com. She is also author of the international-bestselling, award-winning book Journaling Power: How to Create the Happy, Healthy Life You Want to Live.

Mari began journaling to relieve the debilitating effects of multiple sclerosis (MS) over 20 years ago. Through journaling, Mari was able to ditch her prescription drugs and mitigate most of her MS symptoms. Now she teaches people throughout the world how to heal, grow, and transform their lives through the holistic power of therapeutic journaling.

She lives in a gorgeous beachfront home in Boston, where she has the freedom, flexibility, and physical ability to indulge in all her passions, which include singing and recording her own albums.

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Praise for Heal Your Self with Journaling Power

Mari McCarthy’s latest, Heal Your Self with Journaling Power, represents the voice of a warm friend who not only talks the talk but also has lived first-hand the transforming power of writing. Packed with focused, fun prompts to jump-start the journaling process, this book is a motivation and an uplift! I especially enjoy the stress-bucket exercise. Not to be missed.” ~Melanie Faith, educator and author of In a Flash and Poetry Power,

In a world of ever-present scary news, stress, and technology that distracts us from genuine human encounters, Mari McCarthy invites us to do something both simple and radical: pause daily to encounter our own souls. And she not only tells us to just do it, she shows us how with her own life story, the stories of others, and her many ideas about how to maximize the transformative power of journaling time. ~Kevin Anderson, Ph.D., Author of Now is Where God Lives: A Year of Nested Meditations to Delight the Mind and Awaken the Soul and The Inconceivable Surprise of Living: Sustaining Wisdom for Spiritual Beings Trying to Be Human.

The most important lesson illustrated in Heal Your Self with Journaling Power is that anyone can enhance their health and wellbeing through the therapeutic power of expressive writing. This is the definitive book that shows you how. So just grab a pen and a pad of paper and do it! ~Mike Bundrant, Co-Founder, iNLPCenter.org

Testimony from Casey Demchak, copywriter and consultant; also featured in Chapter 8, “Design Your Future” of Heal Your Self with Journaling Power